DOCSLIB.ORG

Hip Hop-Decoded MUS 307/AFR 317

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hip Hop-Decoded MUS 307/AFR 317 ************************************************************* Music of African Americans: Hip Hop-Decoded MUS 307/AFR 317 Fall 2020 MWF 12-1pm (online and synchronous) Instructor: Dr. Charles Carson [email protected] (but please use Canvas) Twitter: @UT_Doc_C 512.232.9448 Virtual Office hours: W 1-2pm, or by appointment Teaching Assistant: Andrew Normann [email protected] I. Course Description: Generally speaking, this course is an introduction to the musical, social, cultural, and political aspects of Hip Hop culture in the US, as interpreted through the history and development of its musical style. II. Course Aims and Objectives: Aims Beyond increasing familiarity with African American music and culture, a major goal of this course is to provide you with the tools to coexist--and indeed thrive--in a gloBal context. Specific Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students will: ● Be aBle to recognize and descriBe general elements of African American cultural practices, including instruments/media, performance practice, and aesthetics. ● Discuss the ways in which these elements have influenced (and continue to influence) contemporary US society, especially with respect to hip hop and related genres. ● Critically assess expressions and representations of African American culture in music and media. ● Be aBle to apply these critical thinking skills in the context of other cultures and contexts, both historical and contemporary. III. Format and Procedures: Instructional mode: ONLINE - this course is designed to be 100% online and 100% synchronous. Students will be able to complete all required course activities remotely. Alternative access will be provided to students with demonstrated need for such accommodations. The content will center around a select Body of readings, recordings, videos, and other media. Advance preparation is key to following the content, so please come to class prepared to engage with that day’s materials. Other activities include: quizzes & assignments, and a final project to be explained in class. IV. My Assumptions I Believe that diversity is good for the world. It opens up our eyes to other perspectives and possibilities, and can thus help move humankind forward. I also believe that the understanding of how identity works in general is key to understanding ourselves. While this course will focus primarily upon expressions of African American identity, I hope that we will foster greater patience, understanding, and respect for any and all peoples. By enrolling in this class, I assume that you are interested in taking such a journey. (By the way, the answer to question #5 on the syllabus quiz is C.) While I don’t expect you to agree with everything you hear, I do expect that you will put the utmost effort towards developing an appreciation for the musics and cultures discussed, as well as an awareness of music’s important role in the enrichment of the human spirit. This class is NOT intended just for music majors. No previous musical knowledge or experience is required to excel in this course. Keep in mind that listeners make up the largest (and arguably the most powerful) demographic of the music industry, so what you think and feel aBout the music is important. Music is all around you, and—however unknowingly—you have developed the tools to interpret, discuss, and critique it. This class is intended to hone those skills, augmenting them with information aBout the music’s technical and cultural contexts. PLEASE BE PATIENT. The university, your professors, and your teaching assistants are all having to adjust to this situation, too, and we are doing the Best we can. There will Be Bumps and hiccups, But we will all take them in stride. Your grade will not Be affected if something goes wrong, so relax and let’s just have some fun. Students who need accommodations due to their unique COVID-related situations should reach out to me immediately, so we can work around them. A Word About Language Many of the recordings that we will encounter will utilize “colorful” language of various types. Whenever practicable, I have substituted edited versions of some examples if the edits do not dramatically affect the intention, meaning, or aesthetic of the song. However, some examples need to be heard in their original format. Consider this a warning. The inclusion of such examples is not intended to be offensive, merely to represent the realities of the musical soundscapes we are discussing. Furthermore, such content is not to Be taken as representing the thoughts, ideas, or perspectives of the instructor, your fellow students, or the university. More detail will Be provided in class discussions. V. Course Requirements: 1. Class attendance and participation policy: a. We recognize that this is a challenging time for all, and we will strive to Be flexiBle and sensitive to the needs of individual students. b. That Being said, you will Be expected to attend virtual sessions, and demonstrate engagement through a variety of means. c. Attendance will Be taken virtually, through session logs and online participation polls. d. Students will be allowed two unexcused absence before their grade will be affected. e. Unexcused aBsences are any aBsence for which you do not have a valid, verifiaBle excuse. These do NOT have to Be provided Beforehand, but need to be clearly documented. f. YOU are responsiBle for any content that you miss due to aBsence, including readings, quizzes, or other activities, but of course we are availaBle to help you access this material. g. Late assignments will not Be accepted, except in the case of EXCUSED aBsences. h. A Word about Conduct in the Virtual Classroom: This course will deal with some touchy issues, including race/ethnicity, class, and gender/sexuality issues. While I want you to feel comfortable to express your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, I ask that please be sensitive to those around you—we all come from a variety of backgrounds and belief systems (which is critical to the learning experience), and our experiences vary greatly. Students who refuse to be respectful will Be asked to leave the sessions. i. At the same time, however, I encourage you to challenge yourself and your assumptions about the world by emBracing ideas that may be new or unfamiliar to you. This class should Be a safe environment with learning as our primary goal—let’s take advantage of that opportunity. j. If, at any time, you are made to feel uncomfortable, please do not hesitate to bring this to my attention. I am sure we can work through it. Religious Holy Days By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending aBsence at least fourteen days prior to the date of oBservance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the aBsence. 2. Course Readings/Materials: ○ Assorted readings, provided By the instructor and availaBle online. ○ Recordings, provided By the instructor and availaBle online. ○ CANVAS course site access (see technology policy) 3. Assignments, Assessment, and Evaluation a. Throughout this course, you will Be expected to read and listen regularly. This is not only part of your preparation for this course, but also a part of your musical and intellectual development in general. Readings and listenings assignments on the syllabus are to be completed BY that date. Please come to class prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day, and suBmit all assignments online in a timely manner. b. The Bulk of the coursework will consist of quizzes, reading guides, short assignments, and a one-time “DECODING” final project, which will be explained in class. c. Reading Guides must Be completed BEFORE class time on the day the reading is listed on the course calendar d. No late reading guides will Be accepted. e. NO FINAL EXAM for this class. Instead, you will complete a final project, which is due By end of the university scheduled final exam time. This will be suBmitted online, per the instructions given in class. f. Make-up quizzes will not be given. Should you fall too far behind, see me. Each quiz will be available online for AT LEAST two days, so you should plan to be able to complete them before their due date. g. Students should use the grading rubric below to estimate their progress in the class. 5. Technology Policies a. This class uses CANVAS (https://canvas.utexas.edu). If you are not familiar with it, please take some time NOW to get used to navigating the interface. 99% of course materials, announcements, etc. will be circulated via this courseware. b. This class will Be delivered via LAITS own online learning system, Rendezvous. Links will be posted in the appropriate places on Canvas. c. Virtual office hours (as well as one-on-one meetings, by appointment) will be conducted via ZOOM. Students should make sure they are logged into their official UT ZOOM account, via https://utexas.zoom.us d. This class has a twitter feed (@UT_Doc_C), which I will use to inform you aBout interesting stories, events, or class updates in real time. While following me is not a requirement, you will want to check the twitter feed periodically. For those of you who do not use Twitter, I have embedded a Twitter feed widget on the main page of Canvas. Since this account is purely for educational purposes, I will not follow you back—nothing personal. e. If you experience any technical issues whilst online, go ahead and email me as soon as possible. The LAITS representatives will handle technology issues, but your timely email to me will Be documentation of proBlems for attendance/participation purposes.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Midnight Special Songlist
    west coast music Midnight Special Please find attached the Midnight Special song list for your review. SPECIAL DANCES for Weddings: Please note that we will need your special dance requests, (I.E. First Dance, Father/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Dance etc) FOUR WEEKS in advance prior to your event so that we can confirm that the band will be able to perform the song(s) and that we are able to locate sheet music. In some cases where sheet music is not available or an arrangement for the full band is need- ed, this gives us the time needed to properly prepare the music and learn the material. Clients are not obligated to send in a list of general song requests. Many of our clients ask that the band just react to whatever their guests are responding to on the dance floor. Our clients that do provide us with song requests do so in varying degrees. Most clients give us a handful of songs they want played and avoided. Recently, we’ve noticed in increase in cli- ents customizing what the band plays and doesn’t play with very specific detail. If you de- sire the highest degree of control (allowing the band to only play within the margin of songs requested), we ask for a minimum of 100 requests. We want you to keep in mind that the band is quite good at reading the room and choosing songs that best connect with your guests. The more specific/selective you are, know that there is greater chance of losing certain song medleys, mashups, or newly released material the band has.
    [Show full text]
  • In Defense of Rap Music: Not Just Beats, Rhymes, Sex, and Violence
    In Defense of Rap Music: Not Just Beats, Rhymes, Sex, and Violence THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Crystal Joesell Radford, BA Graduate Program in Education The Ohio State University 2011 Thesis Committee: Professor Beverly Gordon, Advisor Professor Adrienne Dixson Copyrighted by Crystal Joesell Radford 2011 Abstract This study critically analyzes rap through an interdisciplinary framework. The study explains rap‟s socio-cultural history and it examines the multi-generational, classed, racialized, and gendered identities in rap. Rap music grew out of hip-hop culture, which has – in part – earned it a garnering of criticism of being too “violent,” “sexist,” and “noisy.” This criticism became especially pronounced with the emergence of the rap subgenre dubbed “gangsta rap” in the 1990s, which is particularly known for its sexist and violent content. Rap music, which captures the spirit of hip-hop culture, evolved in American inner cities in the early 1970s in the South Bronx at the wake of the Civil Rights, Black Nationalist, and Women‟s Liberation movements during a new technological revolution. During the 1970s and 80s, a series of sociopolitical conscious raps were launched, as young people of color found a cathartic means of expression by which to describe the conditions of the inner-city – a space largely constructed by those in power. Rap thrived under poverty, police repression, social policy, class, and gender relations (Baker, 1993; Boyd, 1997; Keyes, 2000, 2002; Perkins, 1996; Potter, 1995; Rose, 1994, 2008; Watkins, 1998).
    [Show full text]
  • Duc 2020 Kw 16
    DUC REDAKTION Hofweg 61a · D-22085 Hamburg T 040 - 369 059 0 WEEK 16 [email protected] · www.trendcharts.de 09.04.2020 Approved for publication on Tuesday, 14.04.2020 THIS LAST WEEKS IN PEAK WEEK WEEK CHARTS ARTIST TITLE LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR POSITION 01 02 05 SZA & Justin Timberlake The Other Side RCA/Sony 01 02 06 03 Tyga & Megan Thee Stallion Freak Last Kings/Columbia/Sony 02 03 03 10 Meek Mill Ft. Farruko Uptown II We The Best/Epic/Sony 01 04 32 02 > J Balvin Amarillo Universal Latin/UMI/Universal 04 05 10 02 Wiz Khalifa Ft. Tyga Contact Atlantic/WMI/Warner 05 06 08 02 Tinie Tempah Ft. Not3s Top Winners Disturbing London/Parlophone UK/WMI/Warner 06 07 18 03 Pedro Capó Buena Suerte Sony Latin/Sony 07 08 05 08 Meghan Trainor Ft. Nicki Minaj Nice To Meet Ya Epic/Sony 05 09 12 03 DJ Derezon Ft. Devonte Set It Off Set It Off/Urbanheat 09 10 07 09 Joker Bra & VIZE Baby Bra Musik/Urban/VEC/Universal 06 11 09 08 Tainy with Sean Paul & Mozart La Para Ft. Cazzu LENTO NEON16/Interscope/UMI/Universal 09 12 NEW Loredana x Zuna Ft. SRNO Du Bist Mein KMN/Groove Attack 12 13 17 07 Shakira & Anuel AA Me Gusta Ace/Sony Latin/Sony 07 14 14 06 Meek Mill Ft. Justin Timberlake Believe Maybach/Atlantic/WMI/Warner 14 15 NEW PARTYNEXTDOOR Ft. Rihanna Believe It OVO/WMI/Warner 15 16 13 08 Sean Paul x Tove Lo Calling On Me SPJ/Island/PIL/Universal 07 17 11 03 Loredana Ft.
    [Show full text]
  • Barber Middle School Accelerated Reader Quiz List Book Interest Quiz No
    BARBER MIDDLE SCHOOL ACCELERATED READER QUIZ LIST BOOK INTEREST QUIZ NO. TITLE AUTHOR LEVEL LEVEL POINTS 124151 13 Brown, Jason Robert 4.1 MG 5.0 87689 47 Mosley, Walter 5.3 MG 8.0 5976 1984 Orwell, George 8.9 UG 17.0 78958 (Short) Story of My Life, The Jones, Jennifer B. 4.0 MG 3.0 77482 ¡Béisbol! Latino Baseball Pioneers and Legends (English) Winter, Jonah 5.6 LG 1.0 9611 ¡Lo encontramos debajo del fregadero! Stine, R.L. 3.1 MG 2.0 9625 ¡No bajes al sótano! Stine, R.L. 3.9 MG 3.0 69346 100 Artists Who Changed the World Krystal, Barbara 9.7 UG 9.0 69347 100 Leaders Who Changed the World Paparchontis, Kathleen 9.8 UG 9.0 69348 100 Military Leaders Who Changed the World Crompton, Samuel Willard 9.1 UG 9.0 122464 121 Express Polak, Monique 4.2 MG 2.0 74604 13: Thirteen Stories...Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen Howe, James 5.0 MG 9.0 53617 1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving Grace/Bruchac 7.1 MG 1.0 66779 17: A Novel in Prose Poems Rosenberg, Liz 5.0 UG 4.0 80002 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East Nye, Naomi Shihab 5.8 UG 2.0 44511 1900-10: New Ways of Seeing Gaff, Jackie 7.7 MG 1.0 53513 1900-20: Linen & Lace Mee, Sue 7.3 MG 1.0 56505 1900-20: New Horizons (20th Century-Music) Hayes, Malcolm 8.4 MG 1.0 62439 1900-20: Print to Pictures Parker, Steve 7.3 MG 1.0 44512 1910-20: The Birth of Abstract Art Gaff, Jackie 7.6 MG 1.0 44513 1920-40: Realism and Surrealism Gaff, Jackie 8.3 MG 1.0 44514 1940-60: Emotion and Expression Gaff, Jackie 7.9 MG 1.0 36116 1940s from World War II to Jackie Robinson, The Feinstein, Stephen 8.3
    [Show full text]
  • The BET HIP-HOP AWARDS '09 Nominees Are in
    The BET HIP-HOP AWARDS '09 Nominees Are In ... Kanye West Leads The Pack With Nine Nominations As Hip-Hop's Crowning Night Returns to Atlanta on Saturday, October 10 and Premieres on BET Tuesday, October 27 at 8:00 p.m.* NEW YORK, Sept.16 -- The BET HIP-HOP AWARDS '09 nominations were announced earlier this evening on 106 & PARK, along with the highly respected renowned rapper, actor, screenwriter, film producer and director Ice Cube who will receive this year's "I AM HIP-HOP" Icon Award. Hosted by actor and comedian Mike Epps, the hip-hop event of the year returns to Atlanta's Boisfeuillet Jones Civic Center on Saturday, October 10 to celebrate the biggest names in the game - both on the mic and in the community. The BET HIP-HOP AWARDS '09 will premiere Tuesday, October 27 at 8:00 PM*. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO ) The Hip-Hop Awards Voting Academy which is comprised of journalists, industry executives, and fans has nominated rapper, producer and style aficionado Kanye West for an impressive nine awards. Jay Z and Lil Wayne follow closely behind with seven nominations, and T.I. rounds things off with six nominations. Additionally, BET has added two new nomination categories to this year's show -- "Made-You-Look Award" (Best Hip Hop Style) which will go to the ultimate trendsetter and "Best Hip-Hop Blog Site," which will go to the online site that consistently keeps hip-hop fans in the know non-stop. ABOUT ICE CUBE Veteran rapper, Ice Cube pioneered the West Coast rap movement back in the late 80's.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fearless Leader Fearless the Paul 196
    TWO RAINMAKERS PAUL THE FEARLESS LEADER 196 ven back then, I was taking on far too many jobs,” Def Jam Chairman Paul Rosenberg recalls of his early career. As the longtime man- Eager of Eminem, Rosenberg has been a substantial player in the unfolding of the ‘‘ modern era and the dominance of hip-hop in the last two decades. His work in that capacity naturally positioned him to seize the reins at the major label that brought rap to the mainstream. Before he began managing the best- selling rapper of all time, Rosenberg was an attorney, hustling in Detroit and New York but always intimately connected with the Detroit rap scene. Later on, he was a boutique-label owner, film producer and, finally, major-label boss. The success he’s had thus far required savvy and finesse, no question. But it’s been Rosenberg’s fearlessness and commitment to breaking barriers that have secured him this high perch. (And given his imposing height, Rosenberg’s perch is higher than average.) “PAUL HAS Legendary exec and Interscope co-found- er Jimmy Iovine summed up Rosenberg’s INCREDIBLE unique qualifications while simultaneously INSTINCTS assessing the State of the Biz: “Bringing AND A REAL Paul in as an entrepreneur is a good idea, COMMITMENT and they should bring in more—because TO ARTISTRY. in order to get the record business really HE’S SEEN healthy, it’s going to take risks and it’s going to take thinking outside of the box,” he FIRSTHAND told us. “At its height, the business was run THE UNBELIEV- primarily by entrepreneurs who either sold ABLE RESULTS their businesses or stayed—Ahmet Ertegun, THAT COME David Geffen, Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert FROM ALLOW- were all entrepreneurs.” ING ARTISTS He grew up in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, surrounded on all sides TO BE THEM- by music and the arts.
    [Show full text]
  • The Symbolic Annihilation of the Black Woman in Rap Videos: a Content Analysis
    The Symbolic Annihilation of the Black Woman in Rap Videos: A Content Analysis Item Type text; Electronic Thesis Authors Manriquez, Candace Lynn Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 28/09/2021 03:10:19 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624121 THE SYMBOLIC ANNIHILATION OF THE BLACK WOMAN IN RAP VIDEOS: A CONTENT ANALYSIS by Candace L. Manriquez ____________________________ Copyright © Candace L. Manriquez 2017 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2017 Running head: THE SYMBOLIC ANNIHILATION OF THE BLACK WOMAN 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR The thesis titled The Symbolic Annihilation of the Black Woman: A Content Analysis prepared by Candace Manriquez has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for a master’s degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship.
    [Show full text]
  • Music 18145 Songs, 119.5 Days, 75.69 GB
    Music 18145 songs, 119.5 days, 75.69 GB Name Time Album Artist Interlude 0:13 Second Semester (The Essentials Part ... A-Trak Back & Forth (Mr. Lee's Club Mix) 4:31 MTV Party To Go Vol. 6 Aaliyah It's Gonna Be Alright 5:34 Boomerang Aaron Hall Feat. Charlie Wilson Please Come Home For Christmas 2:52 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville O Holy Night 4:44 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville The Christmas Song 4:20 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 2:22 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville White Christmas 4:48 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville Such A Night 3:24 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville O Little Town Of Bethlehem 3:56 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville Silent Night 4:06 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville Louisiana Christmas Day 3:40 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville The Star Carol 2:13 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville The Bells Of St. Mary's 2:44 Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas Aaron Neville Tell It Like It Is 2:42 Billboard Top R&B 1967 Aaron Neville Tell It Like It Is 2:41 Classic Soul Ballads: Lovin' You (Disc 2) Aaron Neville Don't Take Away My Heaven 4:38 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville I Owe You One 5:33 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight 4:24 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville My Brother, My Brother 4:59 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville Betcha By Golly, Wow 3:56 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville Song Of Bernadette 4:04 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville You Never Can Tell 2:54 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville The Bells 3:22 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville These Foolish Things 4:23 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville The Roadie Song 4:41 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville Ain't No Way 5:01 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville The Grand Tour 3:22 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville The Lord's Prayer 1:58 The Grand Tour Aaron Neville Tell It Like It Is 2:43 Smooth Grooves: The 60s, Volume 3 L..
    [Show full text]
  • Rapparen & Gourmetkocken Action Bronson Tillbaka Med Nytt Album
    2015-03-03 10:31 CET Rapparen & gourmetkocken Action Bronson tillbaka med nytt album Hiphoparen och kocken Arian Asllani, aka Action Bronson, från Queens New York släpper nya albumet Mr. Wonderful den 25 mars. Bronson har med flertalet album, EP’s och mixtapes i ryggen gjort sig ett namn som en utav vår tids bästa rappare. Det sätt han levererar sitt artisteri och kombinerar sina rapfärdigheter med humor, självdistans och genomgående matreferenser gör honom unik i musikvärlden. Innan Bronson påbörjade sin karriär som rappare, som ursprungligen endast var en hobby för honom, var han en respekterad gourmetkock i New York City. Han drev sin egen online matlagnings show med titeln "Action In The Kitchen". Efter att han bröt benet i köket bestämde han sig för att enbart koncentrera sig på musiken. Debutalbumet Dr. Lecter släpptes 2011 såväl som ett par mixtapes, däribland Blue Chips. Sent år 2012 signade rapparen med Warner Music via medieföretaget VICE och för två år sedan släppte han EP’n Saaab Stories samt spelade på en av världens viktigaste musikfestivaler, nämligen Coachella Music Festival. Genom åren har han haft samarbeten med flera stor rappare såsom Wiz Khalifa, Raekwon, Eminem och Kendrick Lamar. Enligt Bronson är det kommande albumet hans bästa verk hittills. “I gave this my most incredible effort,” säger han. “If you listen to everything I’ve put out and then listen to this you’ll hear the steps that I’ve taken to go all out and show progression.” Singeln Baby Blue ft. Chance The Rapper, producerad av Mark Ronson, premiärspelades igår av Zane Lowe på BBC Radio 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Hip Hop, Memes, and the Internet
    BY ALL MEMES NECESSARY: HIP HOP, MEMES, AND THE INTERNET MAX TRETTER FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITY ERLANGEN-NUREMBERG INTRODUCTION: HIP HOP ON THE INTERNET The internet influences hip hop in various ways. First and foremost, the internet is a medium that opens up a new space and stage in which hip hop can be performed. This stage is no longer local, but global, which represents both opportunity and challenge. On the one hand, each hip hop artist must assert themselves against countless compet- itors from all over the world; on the other hand, their breakthrough online, if it suc- ceeds, can be monumental in comparison to an analog breakthrough, which is usually confined to a limited area. Therefore, for hip hop artists it is increasingly important to attract attention – as only those who get the attention succeed in this new medium (Prior 2018, Jenkins et al. 2013). The internet’s central influence on hip hop is the inten- sification of the battle for attention – which results in hip hop artists trying new ap- proaches and strategies to gain that attention. One of them is producing their content with an eye to making it as meme-able as possible and capitalizing on meme dynamics on the internet. In this study, I approach memes as a concept, following the definition of Dawkins (2006) who originally defined the concept of memes in his work The Selfish Gene. Memes are small units of information that are usually very simple and catchy (ges- tures, styles, melodies, or phrases). They are transmitted from person to person by imitation or adaption, replicate and spread very quickly, and contribute to the dissem- ination and formation of common behaviors and cultures (Dawkins 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • RIGHTS CLAIMS THROUGH MUSIC a Study on Collective Identity and Social Movements
    RIGHTS CLAIMS THROUGH MUSIC A study on collective identity and social movements Dzeneta Sadikovic Department of Global and Political Studies Human Rights III (MR106S) Bachelor thesis, 15hp 15 ETC, Fall/2019 Supervisor: Dimosthenis Chatzoglakis Abstract This study is an analysis of musical lyrics which express oppression and discrimination of the African American community and encourage potential action for individuals to make a claim on their rights. This analysis will be done methodologically as a content analysis. Song texts are examined in the context of oppression and discrimination and how they relate to social movements. This study will examine different social movements occurring during a timeline stretching from the era of slavery to present day, and how music gives frame to collective identities as well as potential action. The material consisting of song lyrics will be theoretically approached from different sociological and musicological perspectives. This study aims to examine what interpretative frame for social change is offered by music. Conclusively, this study will show that music functions as an informative tool which can spread awareness and encourage people to pressure authorities and make a claim on their Human Rights. Keywords: music, politics, human rights, freedom of speech, oppression, discrimination, racism, culture, protest, social movements, sociology, musicology, slavery, civil rights, African Americans, collective identity List of Contents 1. Introduction p.2 1.1 Topic p.2 1.2 Aim & Purpose p.2 1.3 Human Rights & Music p.3 1.4 Research Question(s) p.3 1.5 Research Area & Delimitations p.3 1.6 Chapter Outline p.5 2. Theory & Previous Research p.6 2.1 Music As A Tool p.6 2.2 Social Movements & Collective Behavior p.8 2.2.1 Civil Rights Movement p.10 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Hip-Hop's Diversity and Misperceptions
    The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Honors College Summer 8-2020 Hip-Hop's Diversity and Misperceptions Andrew Cashman Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors Part of the Music Commons, and the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HIP-HOP’S DIVERSITY AND MISPERCEPTIONS by Andrew Cashman A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for a Degree with Honors (Anthropology) The Honors College University of Maine August 2020 Advisory Committee: Joline Blais, Associate Professor of New Media, Advisor Kreg Ettenger, Associate Professor of Anthropology Christine Beitl, Associate Professor of Anthropology Sharon Tisher, Lecturer, School of Economics and Honors Stuart Marrs, Professor of Music 2020 Andrew Cashman All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT The misperception that hip-hop is a single entity that glorifies wealth and the selling of drugs, and promotes misogynistic attitudes towards women, as well as advocating gang violence is one that supports a mainstream perspective towards the marginalized.1 The prevalence of drug dealing and drug use is not a picture of inherent actions of members in the hip-hop community, but a reflection of economic opportunities that those in poverty see as a means towards living well. Some artists may glorify that, but other artists either decry it or offer it as a tragic reality. In hip-hop trends build off of music and music builds off of trends in a cyclical manner.
    [Show full text]